View Full Version : Little thing, big difference
So what are some of your favorite little things that have made a nice difference on your hike?
Something you used more than you thought you would.
Maybe something surprisingly multi-purpose.
Some things are great for practical reasons, others maybe just a nice mental boost.
Smart phones are a given - tons of uses.
Maybe you used dental floss for not only keepin' the chompers clean, but also some first aid and gear repair...
Maybe that little deck of playing cards got worn out and saved you from going insane with boredom...
Buff?
iPod?
Duct tape?
I carry a small American flag that I hang in my camp.
Sarcasm the elf
12-18-2013, 21:38
I almost always bring a good dog.
MuddyWaters
12-18-2013, 21:46
I bring drink mix to put in my water, mixture of flavors.
I drink a lot more that way, and it keeps it interesting.
I carry a small American flag that I hang in my camp.
Awesome - love it. Hope to see some more of that great pride out on the trail.
I almost always bring a good dog.
So much better than a bad, smelly cat any day of the week.
I bring drink mix to put in my water, mixture of flavors.
I drink a lot more that way, and it keeps it interesting.
I definitely plan on doing this. Was gonna try some of the Emergen-C mix for both the flavor and the vitamin c/electrolyte boost.
Thx for the reminder.
4eyedbuzzard
12-19-2013, 00:46
P-38 can opener; high quality fine point tweezers (tick, stinger, and splinter removal); small plastic mirror (vanity?); mini superglue (gear repair and wound closure); big safety pins (drying socks pinned to pack); small ShamWow - used more than I thought to dry both me (wet feet especially) and gear, wring dry socks and briefs, cut a strip to make head/sweat band)
Music. I don't let it dominate the sounds of nature though.
I definitely plan on doing this. Was gonna try some of the Emergen-C mix for both the flavor and the vitamin c/electrolyte boost.
Thx for the reminder.
Different kinds have different ingredients though. I opt for the Lemon Lime Emergen-C for its MSM, Alpha Lipoic Acid, and Vit C.
yellowsirocco
12-19-2013, 05:13
500 mL box wine. It really makes dinner feel civilized instead of just eating out of a pot in the middle of the woods.
Old microwave potato cup for meals, drinks. Tang in the morning, hot chocolate morning and night, heavy but a moral booster for me. Paperback book.
Rocket Jones
12-19-2013, 07:45
Small flask of *good* scotch. Not something to have a snort of, something you'd sip slowly and savor in the evening while enjoying a sunset or campfire.
Mocha in the morning.
Lemonheads are an awesome trail candy for me - big uphill stretch = adjust/check the straps + pop in a lemonhead or two + press onward!
chiefduffy
12-20-2013, 06:59
Good teabags for hot tea anytime, and some quality dark chocolate.
Starchild
12-20-2013, 09:23
iPhone was great for so many things, communication, flashlight, weather, ordering pizza, gps, both AT guidebooks, music, helping other, receiving encouragement, researching edible plants, journeling, paying bills, checking on resupply options, checking on package delivery, monitoring the condition of my house, finding my hiking partner and other thru hikers, camera and album, audiobooks, and I'm sure there were more.
Duct tape for repair of gear and myself.
Vasoline for any hot spots and chaffing (duct tape past a certain point however)
Buff to keep hair under control + for cooling (dipped in water)
Condiment packets
coffee and creamer
caffeinated drink mixes
Seatbelt
12-20-2013, 09:29
Hot apple cider mix
Odd Man Out
12-20-2013, 09:38
Small flask of *good* scotch. Not something to have a snort of, something you'd sip slowly and savor in the evening while enjoying a sunset or campfire.
Any suggestions for a good lightweight flask that won't harm the Scotch? I got a bottle of Talisker but I worry about what container to put it in.
HikerMom58
12-20-2013, 09:49
Everything in my backpack makes me happy when I'm hiking. It's my means of survival until I get to the next resupply. I appreciate my water filter most of all. It's the lil things! ;)
I don't consider it a little thing but I'd suggest to anyone starting a thru to make sure you have your footwear dialed in before you leave.
Any suggestions for a good lightweight flask that won't harm the Scotch? I got a bottle of Talisker but I worry about what container to put it in.
Forget a metal flask. Buy a pint of Jim Beam. It comes in a plastic bottle. Drink it, rinse the bottle well, set it out for a few days to air out. No matter what anyone tells you, it won't affect the taste of the good scotch.
kayak karl
12-20-2013, 11:21
a notebook (paper kind) and a pencil.
Rocket Jones
12-20-2013, 11:21
I just use a nalgene flask. 4-8 ounces, depending on the length of my trip.
The Solemates
12-20-2013, 11:22
i never hike without a good book. one of my favorite things is to read at night listening to nature after a long day of hiking.
I also take a garbage bag - one of the big black kinds. It doubles as a pack cover, though I rarely use it for this. I keep it handy and take it out to sit on quite often when taking breaks along the trail.
i cant hike without a bandana either. head warmer, head cooler (after dipping into creek), sweat gatherer, face warmer, neck warmer, neck cooler, pot handle insulator, pot cleaner, face wash towel, bug swatter, pillowcase, emergency tourniquet, etc
other than that, I'm pretty minimalist.
Starbucks Via. Decent coffee done easily. Works cold, too.
BONUS: My local Costco sells it in bulk.
colorado_rob
12-20-2013, 11:31
Easy, 2 things, as Mags sez SB Via's and my kindle App on phone. Reading at night, coffee in the morning. Just like home, but with benefits (being outside in beautiful area!).
Traffic Jam
12-20-2013, 13:53
Easy, 2 things, as Mags sez SB Via's and my kindle App on phone. Reading at night, coffee in the morning. Just like home, but with benefits (being outside in beautiful area!).
+2 on the Via but I don't have good luck with the Kindle App (and battery) and usually just carry my Kindle. Last night daughter picked me up from work and we hiked a few miles in the dark to a campsite in the Smokeys. Both phones were charged and she forgot to pack my Kindle. We get in our bags to read and her phone immediately dies, even tho it was in airplane mode, so she borrows mine. This morning I start to take a pic and my phone dies. Ugh! If that was day 1 of a multi day hike I'd be really unhappy without something to read.
steve0423
12-20-2013, 18:56
two feet of Leukotape wrapped around a tube of chap stick.
Adheres much better then duct tape, I usually have at least one toe wrapped in it at any given time. Flexible, breathable, with a zinc oxide adhesive. I use it during my everyday activities, (running/cycling) and it would wear for weeks with daily showers if need be. During my thru I fixed hot spots with it and even prevented the onset of a couple of ingrown toe nails by taping back the skin on the effected side of the toe. I literally carry it every day, (via chap stick), like some folks carry a pocket knife.
hikerboy57
12-20-2013, 19:02
nido .
MuddyWaters
12-20-2013, 19:16
a notebook (paper kind) and a pencil.
I dont bring that, I find ones someone left behind at every shelter I stop at.:rolleyes:
max patch
12-20-2013, 20:41
I don't use pens and pencils at shelters. If I read the register I make sure to wash up immediately afterward.
Mocha in the morning.
Lemonheads are an awesome trail candy for me - big uphill stretch = adjust/check the straps + pop in a lemonhead or two + press onward!
I bring Jolly Ranchers for the uphills!
Tipi Walter
12-22-2013, 13:11
So what are some of your favorite little things that have made a nice difference on your hike?
Something you used more than you thought you would.
Maybe something surprisingly multi-purpose.
Some things are great for practical reasons, others maybe just a nice mental boost.
Smart phones are a given - tons of uses.
Maybe you used dental floss for not only keepin' the chompers clean, but also some first aid and gear repair...
Maybe that little deck of playing cards got worn out and saved you from going insane with boredom...
Buff?
iPod?
Duct tape?
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2013-1/Backpacking-Bryan-DeLay/i-hgmbLsL/0/M/TRIP%20148%20007-M.jpg
I don't do a backpacking trip unless I bring an emergency Thermarest which I cache somewhere in the woods so if I have a winter blowout on my regular pad I can swing back to the cache and all is well. This is an emergency pad getting ready to be cached in the woods.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2013-1/19-Days-of-Solitude/i-Qmkpzw6/0/M/TRIP%20151%20207-M.jpg
Always bring a good pair of down mittens. They are light and your hands will like them at 8F in the morning when packing up.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2012/Tipi-Walter-in-Solitude/i-8QxSGvg/0/M/TRIP%20130%20028-M.jpg
Bring plenty of reading material that can be burned. These are "internet books" of bookmarked subjects and printed at home on lightweight typing paper, both sides. I typically take around 12 on a 20 day trip. Or several regular books.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2013-1/19-Days-of-Solitude/i-xS2rmQf/0/M/TRIP%20151%20009-M.jpg
Always bring a good pair of down booties on a cold winter trip. You can walk around camp in the snow and they help with the feet. It's all about the feet and hands.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2013-1/19-Days-of-Solitude/i-hQvVzBt/0/M/TRIP%20151%20006-M.jpg
When exploring a wilderness area or going to a brand new place, I like to take a bag of survey ribbon to help mark trails and indistinct routes.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2013-1/19-Days-of-Solitude/i-Nxs2P9Q/0/M/TRIP%20151%20004-M.jpg
Regular toilet paper is unusable and obsolete---paper towels work much better when damp with water and do a bunch of other things. These are 4 rolls of 10 towels each, good for an 18 day trip.
Tipi Walter
12-22-2013, 13:19
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2013-1/19-Days-of-Solitude/i-Rfncncx/0/M/TRIP%20151%20005-M.jpg
Bring stick incense as it helps the mood on long winter nights---just don't hole your Thermarest or lay your down jacket on a lit stick.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2011/Tipi-Walter-Citico-Snow/i-Sfh7fp7/0/M/TRIP%20118%20427-M.jpg
Bring several 3 inch candles to keep your hands and fingers warm inside the tent at night.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2011/Bald-River-with-Tipi-Walter/i-DPhs4rk/0/M/TRIP%20127%20085-M.jpg
Bring a couple pens and plenty of journal paper (folded typing paper) and keep a trip report. It gives you something to do at night and it's fun to read thru on Day 16 of a 20 day trip.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2013-1/18-Days-in-the-Big-Frog/i-7nDVkqp/0/M/TRIP%20141%20046-M.jpg
Always bring a good map of the area you are backpacking.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2012/20-Days-to-Panther-Branch-and/i-RmwxWLC/0/M/TRIP%20136%20186-M.jpg
Have a little radio and extra batts to help get thru the long solo nights and to bring weather warnings when needed---blizzards, tornadoes, etc.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2012/20-Days-to-Panther-Branch-and/i-q6wWCdR/0/M/TRIP%20136%20010-M.jpg
Bring extra hardwear just in case.
Tipi Walter
12-22-2013, 13:27
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2013-1/Tipi-Walter-Upper-Slickrock/i-6M43BP7/0/M/TRIP%20145%20057-M.jpg
Always bring trail tools so you can clip and cut as you hike. This is a no-brainer.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2010/18-Days-in-the-Bald-River/i-wRtb8Kc/0/M/TRIP%20113%20110-M.jpg
Always bring a headnet from late March thru October. It will save your butt.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2010/With-Hootyhoo-in-a-Bob-Bald/i-8rTLnQ2/0/M/TRIP%20106%20143-M.jpg
Always have a dynamite rain jacket in your kit as it will save your butt when conditions turn south.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2011/Tipi-Walter-Warriors-Passage/i-q6w9Zd7/0/M/TRIP%20128%20171-M.jpg
And during hunting season it can cover the pack and keep you from getting shot.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2011/Bald-River-with-Tipi-Walter/i-6dqkTcX/0/M/TRIP%20127%20188-M.jpg
Carry a good balaclava in the winter as it will save your head and ears in the bitter winds of winter.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2011/Tipi-Walter-Citico-Snow/i-8XMzh8x/0/M/TRIP%20118%20182-M.jpg
Make dang sure your down jacket has a down hood when things get rough and temps drop to -10F. Down pants don't hurt, either.
Tipi Walter
12-22-2013, 13:34
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2011/MSR-Fury-Ten-Tipi-Walter/i-KQQLbgR/0/M/TRIP%20121%20330-M.jpg
You can use mullein leaves inside your boots for better foot comfort.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2013-1/Test-Gallery-For-Trip-150/i-t6K6VHW/0/M/TRIP%20150%20003-M.jpg
Get a good big home food dehydrator as this item will transform the way you carry 20 days worth of food. And you can dry just about anything not bolted down---canned soups, chili, refried beans, fruit smoothies, yogurt, broccoli, spinach, etc.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2013-1/Green-Cove-Cabin/i-Bkh9qpS/0/M/TRIP%20147%20019-M.jpg
Always bring a light fry pan to add variety to your food choices---and if deep enough as this Flex pan will also serve for soups and oatmeal, etc.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2012/Tipi-Walter-in-Snowbirds/i-53QBWXk/0/M/TRIP%20129%20131-M.jpg
Don't be afraid to learn your wild edibles as they can augment a fairly boring diet. Here is rock tripe ready to be soaked in cold water and rinsed and the water thrown out and then cooked.
http://tipiwalter.smugmug.com/Backpacking2008/Backpacking-with-the-Integral/i-mpzzBKq/0/M/Trip%2087%20011-M.jpg
And finally---never underestimate the power of fresh fruit with cheese.
HikerMom58
12-22-2013, 13:49
Dude... Tipi... you are over the top with what you are packing on ur hiking trips. :) I love seeing all the pics!!
4eyedbuzzard
12-22-2013, 14:17
Love the pics TW. Whenever I see your pics and gear lists the name Tipi Walter Sherpa always comes to mind.
Rain Man
12-23-2013, 11:31
Dude... Tipi... you are over the top with what you are packing on ur hiking trips. :) I love seeing all the pics!!
Love the pics TW. Whenever I see your pics and gear lists the name Tipi Walter Sherpa always comes to mind.
Here's a pic of Tipi Walter getting up with that massive pack on his back. And three of us at the end of two days this June we got to hike with him in the Citico Creek Wilderness, with those bug nets he mentions. :)
Tipi is Da Man and has unsupported backpacking tuned like a fine fiddle.
For me, a little thing that makes a big difference is a Buff. Lots of functions at all times of day and night and all kinds of weather.
Rain:sunMan
.
Grey Ghost
12-23-2013, 13:58
Great pics TW. As always good to read about your hikes. Merry Christmas.
Tipi Walter
12-23-2013, 14:15
Here's a pic of Tipi Walter getting up with that massive pack on his back.
Rain:sunMan
.
This is a studied Three Stage Process and the pic obviously shows the beginning of the 3rd stage---the Power Clench Lift.
Rain Man
12-23-2013, 17:32
This is a studied Three Stage Process and the pic obviously shows the beginning of the 3rd stage---the Power Clench Lift.
What do you call Stage One, where you lay on the ground and grunt for a while?! ;)
Rain:sunMan
P.S. All kidding aside, Tipi carries (of necessity) an assortment of gear on his two and three-week unsupported solo hikes, and when one is able to tag along for a day or two (as I was), he's a great guide and hike companion!
.
Special K
12-23-2013, 23:00
Tipi....NICE!!!
I liked using nuun tabs on occasion; especially in hot weather.
Odd Man Out
12-24-2013, 00:41
I like the mullien leave in the boots trick. I'll have to try that.
The small thing I have to have is a good fingernail clipper. If I don't keep my toenails trimmed just right, you have to carry me out on at stretcher.
Hard pretzels, crunched up to save space. The only thing that has been on every hike with me besides basic gear
Son Driven
12-25-2013, 09:33
Ear plugs!
daddytwosticks
12-25-2013, 16:22
Hard pretzels, crunched up to save space. The only thing that has been on every hike with me besides basic gear
This made me think of one of my favorite hiker foods...Fritos Corn Chips! Those salty, greasy, morsels of golden corn are the perfect example of a little thing that makes a big difference in my hikes. :)
4eyedbuzzard
12-25-2013, 18:03
My uncle (RIP), who introduced me to backpacking some 50 years ago, never left a trailhead without a pound of pistachios. Yeah, he left a trail of shells like Hansel and Gretel until we figured out what great fire starters they made.
The absolutely funniest thing Tipi said: "These are "internet books" of bookmarked subjects and printed at home on lightweight typing paper, both sides. I typically take around 12 on a 20 day trip. Or several regular books."
Got to have lightweight typing paper. That heavyweight paper weighs too darn much. :-?:D 2-3 wks no resupply middle of winter and he's prolly trimming up the brush with his foldable saw and hand pruners. I love it. I bet he knows Citico, Slickrock, Joyce Kilmer as well as anyone!
Rocket Jones
12-25-2013, 19:28
This made me think of one of my favorite hiker foods...Fritos Corn Chips! Those salty, greasy, morsels of golden corn are the perfect example of a little thing that makes a big difference in my hikes. :)
They make a heckuva fire starter too. Try it.
Tipi Walter
12-25-2013, 22:31
The absolutely funniest thing Tipi said: "These are "internet books" of bookmarked subjects and printed at home on lightweight typing paper, both sides. I typically take around 12 on a 20 day trip. Or several regular books."
Got to have lightweight typing paper. That heavyweight paper weighs too darn much. :-?:D 2-3 wks no resupply middle of winter and he's prolly trimming up the brush with his foldable saw and hand pruners. I love it. I bet he knows Citico, Slickrock, Joyce Kilmer as well as anyone!
There actually is heavyweight typing paper. They have 20 weight and 24 weight and 30 weight, etc. 20 weight is the lightest I think except for onion skin, etc. Newbie Fact---it can't be too light for both-side printing.
As far as knowing the Citico/Slickrock, well I know the trails pretty good but rarely bushwack far off trail so there are vast areas unknown to me. I try to range further out like Mt Rogers or Big Frog or the Cohuttas but the Cit/Slick is close to home and I hate driving 4 or 5 hours just to live like a cave man for 3 weeks. But I have a wish list---Dolly Sods, Big South Fork, a return to Pisgah NF and the Wilson Creek area and a return to Shining Rock, etc.
My backpacking bailiwick though is vast as it stretches from the bottom of the Cohutta wilderness to Fontana and the start of the Smokies, around 400 miles of trails. It's possible to get dropped off in the Citico and end up in the Cohutta just by following the trails.
Sarcasm the elf
12-25-2013, 22:42
This made me think of one of my favorite hiker foods...Fritos Corn Chips! Those salty, greasy, morsels of golden corn are the perfect example of a little thing that makes a big difference in my hikes. :)
They make a heckuva fire starter too. Try it.
This is absolutely true! We learned it back in Boy Scouts as a wilderness survival trick (scouts often carry junk food I to the woods) and I've started many a fire with a handful of fritos over the years, usually when I'm feeling lazy.
daddytwosticks
12-26-2013, 14:55
This is absolutely true! We learned it back in Boy Scouts as a wilderness survival trick (scouts often carry junk food I to the woods) and I've started many a fire with a handful of fritos over the years, usually when I'm feeling lazy.
I've known about the dual use of corn chips for years.
What a dilemma...eat them or burn them? :)
slbirdnerd
12-26-2013, 20:41
Zpacks light load towels! I take 2 or 3, they weight nothing, and are different colored: one for keeping damp on my pack strap, one for washing feet and other dirty parts... You get the idea. Thy are abut $2 each.
jimmyjam
12-26-2013, 21:05
Dark chocalate and a little flask of American Honey .
theinfamousj
12-27-2013, 01:25
Bring plenty of reading material that can be burned. These are "internet books" of bookmarked subjects and printed at home on lightweight typing paper, both sides. I typically take around 12 on a 20 day trip. Or several regular books.
Rolled up and rubber banded, brilliant !
Sent from my SGH-I777 using Tapatalk
Furlough
12-27-2013, 10:40
NesCafe Clasico Coffee, use to use Via until I tried this. Various packets of flavor packets to add to my water bottle. A bag of mixed dehydrated veggies from COSTCO. I throw some o these into just about any dinner and into ramen always. My luxury snivler item is a blow-up pillow.
I didn't realize both AT guidebooks were available in pdf. I have the companion; could you tell me where to find the 2nd in pdf?